Pabst offers $20,000 reward for missing beer in Montclair

Pabst Blue Ribbon is offering up to $20,000 for information leading to the recovery of 1,602 cases of beer stolen from a warehouse in Montclair, California. The company announced the reward Wednesday through a post on TikTok by Greig DeBow, the CEO of Pabst Brewing Co.

The beer was taken on Aug. 17 in two separate incidents at an Anheuser-Busch distribution center about 40 miles east of Los Angeles, according to Montclair police.

“I’m sure they look cool with a garage full of PBR,” DeBow said. “That’s actually not cool though. We want it back.”

Police said the first theft involved about $45,000 worth of beer headed to Tucson, Arizona, that was picked up but never delivered. About an hour later, a “purported subcontracting company” submitted fake documents to pick up another $25,000 worth of beer, according to police.

All told, the thieves made off with 40,000 pounds of beer, Pabst said. Police estimated the stolen beer was worth $70,000.

DeBow said the company wants the beer returned by Sept. 9. Anyone with information is asked to email [email protected].

The theft was one of several recent high-profile food heists. Late last year, 40,000 oysters, lobster worth $400,000 and a cache of crabmeat were stolen in separate incidents within weeks of each other in New England.

In March, Swiss food giant Nestlé said 413,793 KitKat brand chocolate bars bound for Poland were stolen after leaving its production site in Italy.